Bring back Umbra for Lerk

Raneman

<div class="IPBDescription">Or increase the time gas hangs around</div>Currently, I find the gas most useful as a smokescreen. I destroy marine LOS with it, forcing them to run through it if they want to see anything. I use it very defensively.

I would suggest either you bring umbra back, or you make gas stick around much longer. It gets tedious replacing my smoke screen every 15 second.

Hybridclaw

Do you mean to say bring back the projectile spore clouds or give lerks the ability to use umbra like back in NS1?

Lerks should get projectile spores as a secondary attack and they should also get umbra back. I say this because lerks are a support class and giving them these attacks would allow them to better fill this role.

Kalabalana

I would be open to the idea of Lerks having one or the other. Spore or Umbra.

Raneman

I mean I use the gas to create a smokescreen to give my aliens cover from marines sniping. I would like an umbra ability that hangs around longer, blocks half of the bullets but doesn't do damage.

Smasher

Primary (spore /2) attack: Spore trail
Secondary: Umbra trail

twiliteblue

I prefer the return of the projectile Spore bomb.

Right now, even with the improved flight, Lerks are ineffective fighting at against groups of marines. Spore trails are too easy for Marines to avoid, and are only effective for covering retreat. Spore Bombing gets Lerks killed in seconds, while sniping is not as effective as it used to be.

Umbra cloud/trail would enhance Lerk's support role, but they would encourage Lerks to entrench in Umbra while shooting, which is the opposite of UWE's design. Lerks would also be very vulnerable to Grenades and Flamethrowers while staying stationary.

Price

i would like if the spores DROP down after you put them out, would help ALOT!

Sewlek

in the beginning I was really ok with the spore trails. it was especially effective in 185, where marine where not able to aim properly. now the performance has increased, which makes me very happy, but it also shows the real face of some weapons / abilities: Spikes are way too powerful if you have a skilled lerk, and also the marine weapon arsenal is, well, better than it was before (except the shotgun, which has to struggle with the client / server delay). the consequenz of that is now, as somebody already said here, that spore trails are only used for covering your retreat. the real damage is done ONLY with spikes (and alt attack, instant kill a marine with full energy btw), and when you need to retreat create some spore trail.

to the topic about umbra: I reworked all alien weapons in my pt mode already few weeks ago. one of the changes was to give umbra trail to the lerk. after i found good numbers (regarding energy cost, umbra radius, fire rate) it turned out to be exceptional good for the lerk. it felt way better than spore trails (i had both in mod), but not really overpowered since i does not block flames or grenades, and only 50% of bullets which means you can also take the full damage. so, that umbra trail would be the support ability we are looking for: instead of flying over the "battleground" and creating spores (which are not very useful for your team mates) you can protect them a bit, and in combination with gorges it creates target priorities (read: tactical decisions, shoot the gorge / lerk first) for marines. it also makes the lerk less vulnerable when flying over a battle scene, which is currently a bit of a problem.

so yes, i agree, especially with what twiliteblue said. bring back the spore projectile, add in umbra trail (hive 2?). and maybe we could also get rid of the shotgun spike, or make a melee attack out of it (anybody likes <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqVQcI5L520" target="_blank">Sting</a>?)

luns

umbra for lerk is something many, including myself kept trying to bring back. They also must bring back lerk bite. If they're trying to design close combat fighting unit, the way they're doing it now is completely wrong. The ideas they have simply do not work, you can change them and tweak them but they simply not as good as the ns1 lerk abilities which worked fine for years. Now if you want to add an extra ability maybe would be great, but they have completely changed the lerk, from the ground up basically.

1.umbra must be given back to the lerk (hive 2, ability unlocked) umbra usage only promotes further teamwork among aliens
2. projectile Spores must be returned as they were before, increased range so lerks can stop marine groups
3. lerk bite must be given to the lerk, to increase his ability to be close combat fighter.
4.lerk spikes damage can be kept the same with slight reduced damage to them since lerk bite is given back

swalk

It's true right now it is very hard to spore a group of marines.
I like the suggestion of having projectile spores(not visual blocking). And have trailing umbra unlock at 2nd hive.
And something also has to be done about spikes.
Shotgun spikes are way too powerful, I think replacing with bite would be best. I don't like too many abilities that blinds vision.
Normal spikes are also powerful, even against buildings, lerks should be the weakest class against buildings, at all.
Cloaking 6 lerks and going for the Command Station is a valid tactic at the moment, and I feel that its because of what I wrote above, and that the shades cloak ability is way too powerful.

Price

good points but i think.


With umbra i agree!
But i think spikes should be secondary attack AND take way more energy, primary is now bite.
So the lerk have to move to marines, bite them and spore if he fly away.

Smasher

<!--quoteo(post=1879060:date=Oct 10 2011, 07:23 AM:name=Schimmel)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Schimmel @ Oct 10 2011, 07:23 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1879060"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Very good post!

Raneman

Well, there isn't a single negative comment in this thread. It seems like it wouldn't be too hard to test, what do you say devs?